Hey everyone.

Everyone knows I have too many children. How MANY too many is sometimes up for debate, but certainly there are no new ones on the way. However, I DO love a good adoption story and my feet like to wade in related ponds whenever I hear about such topics. Still, though…as a favor to the world, we shall hang on to just our four. You are welcome. Indeed.

I know some good people that perhaps have too FEW children and they have huge hearts. If you remember the pig-on-the-loose story from last January, then you’ve already met Fribby.  Here is a letter that we’ve drafted on her behalf to raise funds for hosting orphans in their home. Read on. If you are inclined to donate in any way, send me a comment or email and I’ll get you the private information. Every little bit counts and I guarantee you it will make a difference.

__________________________________________________________________

What if you could change the life of an orphan by just writing a simple check? What if you could change his life without having to change your own?

Good news. YOU CAN.

Jehovah God clearly “defends the cause of the orphan” and he charges us to do the same.  “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27

In so many countries, the doors have been slammed shut against international adoptions. In the Ukraine, the doors are open so wide that even hosting an orphan for a short time is easy. Heartforhosting.org is an organization that places Ukrainian orphans into Christian American homes for six weeks during the summer and 4 weeks during the winter. At the very least, these kids get loved and nurtured and exposed to American families and the gospel of Jesus Christ. At best, in 85% of recent hostings, the children get adopted into strong, permanent Christian homes. What could be better than that?

Right now, there’s a way you can help using the change around your house or your Starbucks surplus fund! My friends, David and Libby, want to bring a 14-year-old boy, Igor, over for the winter break to give him a special holiday season and expose others to this incredible hosting program. Igor is a sweet and social boy whose biggest dream is to live in a family. He loves winter and the color yellow. He plays basketball and soccer and enjoys being outside. I can’t imagine a better holiday for him than the one he could have at the Edwards’ house this December. (Well, unless he came to MY house and that just goes without saying, right?)

Having just hosted an orphan this summer on their own money, the Edwards’ need help raising the $2700 hosting fee to get him here. If you feel moved to serve in this way, you can comment on this post or contact me and I will give you the information you need.  No donation is too small OR too large. All funds raised will go 100% toward Igor’s travel and personal expenses while in the States. Donations over $50 are tax deductible.

The fundraising deadline is October 18, which is fast approaching!  I believe we can raise this money in full by the deadline. If you can help, let us know! Thank you for reading and thank you in advance for any donation you give.

Sincerely,

Missy Snapp, a lady with a heart for adoption, friend of the Edwards, and future host family? We shall see. J

Well.
I am a member of the YMCA. I love that place, but don’t go every day, because it is rather unfortunately more than 15 minutes from my house. This makes it a little more challenging.

Today, I actually had time to go there, but talked myself out of it after I looked up the mileage from my house. First, I could save gas by not going. Second, in the amount of time I’d drive round trip, I could actually get my run in by just running right here in Pit Bull City.

It was a perfect plan.
Except for a couple of small things I didn’t take into consideration:
I didn’t realize that it was 763 degrees outside this morning with 217% humidity. This was a huge, HUGE factor. It was like trying to run with an overweight monkey on your back. (There actually IS an overweight monkey in this blog, but we aren’t going to go into that right now…)

I also didn’t take into consideration that I’m not fit and 23 years old. That one bums me out every time, though this is not a new realization.

I ran with two shirts on. Two regular weight cotton t-shirts. Why? Why would I do that? I have no idea. All I know is, it was a horrible idea.

Somehow only Milli Vanilli (Don’t act like you don’t like them, too) would come up on my ipod’s shuffle. I was desperate for a quick paced Justin Timberlake. All I could get was Milli Vanilli.

I’m pretty sure that the few cars who passed me on my “run” did not even recognize that I was running. It was a whole lot more like a seizuring person looking for a walk-in clinic.

But what made it all worthwhile, besides the fact that it’s done and behind me now, was that at one point while I was actually walking (ok, if you must know…I walked more than I ran today), I saw a shadow trotting along the fence beside me. I looked over, expecting the usual angry pit bull and saw a tiny, perky, black little pig.

The pig was a bright spot, for sure.
But next time I’m going to the Y.